The Big Chill

The above conversation could have been straight out of a bygone era, but it actually occurred in my house a few days ago when the Michigan weather was in the 30s.

We grew up saying we wouldn't be anything like our parents but ultimately don't we become our parents? My mom always taught me to be prepared for the weather and bring a jacket even if I didn't feel cold. In the summer she pressed upon the importance of carrying a sweater because the air conditioning in most buildings is always blasting.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Why is it that when I pick up Josh and Samantha at school in the brisk 40-degree fall weather, they promptly shed their outerwear? They take off their jackets and run around in whatever long-sleeve shirt they are wearing. I'm in a wool hat, scarf, turtleneck and fleece jacket, and I'm chilled to the bone.

I remember in middle school we wouldn't wear hats or hoods—even in single-digit temperatures—because it wasn't seen as cool. We'd rather get frostbite than flatten our perfectly feathered hair. But are today's kindergartners and first-graders thinking it's "cool" to take off their parkas, or are they really just warm?

Most Popular

Lately, I've found myself so concerned about kids feeling the chill that I've actually started asking other children I know if they are warm enough or if they want me to help them zip their jackets. One boy was outside carrying his sweatshirt inside out and I asked if he wanted me to fix it so he could wear it. He looked at me with his red cheeks and a drippy nose and said, "No."

I suddenly realized I've got to relinquish this self-appointed outerwear-patrol role. Who am I kidding? Kids will be kids. If they choose to remove their fleece, guess what? They'll be cold. And I suppose that's how they really learn.—Julie Weingarden Dubin

Sound like your parents lately? Do you ever surprise yourself and repeat the exact phrases your parents said to you when you were a kid? Do you ever catch yourself telling your kids the same "when-I-was-your-age" stories your folks told you?